Make chocolate cake mix cookies with a fun crinkle finish for your Christmas cookie platter or a delicious anytime treat! This cake mix crinkle cookies recipe is easy to make, and sure to be a holiday favorite.
Boxed cake mixes are perfect for making quick and easy desserts and sweet treats. When I first made lemon cookies with cake mix, I couldn't believe how easy it was!
So, I started using different flavors of mix, and who doesn't love chocolate?
Even though I love making whipped shortbread cookies and peanut butter blossoms from scratch, sometimes a quick and easy recipe is the way to go. This is especially true during the Christmas cookie baking season!
These cake mix crinkle cookies are super soft, fudgy and rich, and so delicious. If you like making semi-homemade treats, this recipe will become a go-to for you.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Budget friendly. There are just 4 ingredients in this recipe. The best part is, they're all relatively inexpensive!
- Easy for bakers of any level. Trust me, there is nothing difficult about making crinkle cookies from a cake mix. The only thing you have to measure is powdered sugar. Even kids can make this recipe!
- An easy homemade gift to share. Just about everyone appreciates getting a batch of homemade goodies for the holidays! Wrap the crinkle cookies up in a pretty tin or cellophane bag tied with a bow. Then, gift them to your neighbors, friends, family, and/or coworkers.
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
Believe it or not, you only need four ingredients to make these cake mix cookies!
- chocolate cake mix: If you prefer Devil's food cake mix, that's fine. I use the Betty Crocker brand, but Duncan Hines and Pillsbury work too.
- Cool Whip: You can find this non-dairy whipped topping in the frozen desserts aisle at your local grocery store.
- egg
- powdered sugar
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- egg: Because there are so few ingredients, the egg is an important component, so I don't recommend using substitutions. If you want to do some recipe testing on your own, read my article on Egg Substitutions for Baking for helpful tips.
- Cool Whip: Any brand of non-dairy whipped topping will work. For a richer flavor, you can even use sweetened whipped cream.
- cake mix: If you don't want to buy a mix, I know some people who have successfully made cake mix crinkle cookies using homemade chocolate cake mix.
How to Make Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Make the batter. You don't need an electric mixer! Just whisk the ingredients together.
- Coat the cookie dough balls with powdered sugar.
- Bake the cookies, then let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
Liz's Tips for the Best Cake Mix Cookies
- Don't over mix the batter. If you whip the ingredients together too much, the cookies may fall flat. This is why it's best to mix the ingredients with a spatula and bowl rather than using an electric mixer.
- Expect the cookie batter to be loose and sticky. It will look strange when first mixing it. Keep going, the batter will eventually thicken. The batter will be very sticky, but this is ok!
- Use a lot of powdered sugar when rolling. Make sure to generously coat these cookies in powdered sugar. This will help make sure they don't stick to the parchment paper when baking.
- Let the crinkle cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes. If you try to move them to a cooling rack right away, they tend to fall apart.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storing: After they are cool, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. The cookies will stay fresh for about 5 days.
Freezing: You can freeze the baked cake mix crinkle cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw them in the container at room temperature before enjoying.
Quick Tip: It's best to place wax paper or parchment paper in between each layer of cookies so they don't stick to one another.
I do not recommend freezing the unbaked cookie dough: It's best to bake the cookies and enjoy them fresh or freeze them after they've been baked.
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookie Recipe FAQs
There are other desserts that can be made with cake mix. In addition to chocolate cake mix cookies, you can make cake pops, or a traditional cake.
This recipe doesn't call for oil or butter. However, if you're making a cake mix cookie recipe that calls for oil, you can substitute it with melted butter.
Other Cake Mix Desserts
- Copycat Starbucks Cake Pops
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Funfetti Cookies
- Holy Cow Cake
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl, and set aside. You'll dust the cookies with this later.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix and egg. Whisk well to combine. Add the Cool Whip to the bowl and stir with a mixing spatula to combine.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or table spoon, scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough. Add to the bowl of powdered sugar and roll it through, to coat. Use your hands to form dough into a ball. *Don't try to form the dough ball without powdered sugar, it will be too sticky.
- Arrange the dough balls in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 to 3 inches of space between each.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the tops of the crinkle cookies are puffy and are starting to crack. *They will look unfinished at first - this is normal. They'll finish baking as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Don't over mix the batter. If you whip the ingredients together too much, the cookies may fall flat. This is why it's best to mix the ingredients with a spatula and bowl rather than using an electric mixer.
- Expect the cookie batter to be loose and sticky. It will look strange when first mixing it. Keep going, the batter will eventually thicken. The batter will be very sticky, but this is ok!
- Use a lot of powdered sugar when rolling. Make sure to generously coat these cookies in powdered sugar. This will help make sure they don't stick to the parchment paper when baking.
- Feel free to use any brand of chocolate or Devils food cake mix. If you want a different type of crinkle cookies, you can swap the chocolate for lemon, red velvet, or any other boxed cake mix you like.
Leave a Reply